Add as a preferred source on Google

St. Mary’s College Opens New Performing Arts Building

  • By Matt Jones
  • 09/29/22

St. Mary’s College of Maryland in St. Mary’s City, Maryland, recently debuted its new performing arts center to the public. The college held a daylong celebration on Saturday, Sept. 24, in honor of the new Nancy R. and Norton T. Dodge Performing Arts Center. The new facility will house the campus’ music department and includes amenities like music labs, rehearsal rooms and a recital hall with a capacity of 125, according to local news.

Other features include a 700-seat auditorium for concerts and other large gatherings, as well as a lobby area featuring floor-to-ceiling, curved glass windows for receptions. The facility is named after Norton Dodge, who served as an economics professor at the college from 1980–89, a member of the board of trustees from 1968–1979, and a director of the St. Mary’s College of Maryland Foundation from 1980–2000, according to local news. Dodge passed away in 2011.

“The impact of the performing arts center on the college cannot be overstated,” said St. Mary’s College of Maryland President Tuajuanda Jordan.

The college also opened a new Learning Commons adjacent to the performing arts center. The Commons will play home to the college’s department of educational studies, as well as a café and student study space. The combined cost of the two buildings was $66 million, which was funded through the state of Maryland and $2.5 million in private donations.

According to the college’s website, the college partnered with design firms Graham Gund Architects of Boston and GWWO Architects of Baltimore, and Holder Construction Company served as the Construction Manager at Risk. Construction began in late January 2020.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Fayetteville State University Opens New Residence Hall

    Fayetteville State University (FSU) in Fayetteville, N.C., recently completed construction on a new $50-million residence hall, according to a news release. The university partnered with KWK/Jenkins • Peer Architects on the design of Bronco Pride Hall.

  • Beyond Four Walls

    Operable glass walls provide a dynamic solution for educational spaces. They align with today’s evolving teaching methods and adapt to the needs of modern learners. Beyond the functional versatility, movable glass walls offer clean, contemporary aesthetics, slim and unobtrusive profiles, and versatile configurations that cater to the evolving needs of students and educators alike.

  • Texas K–12 District to Build New Elementary, High Schools

    The High Island Independent School District on the Bolivar Peninsula in Southeast Texas recently announced that construction on a new elementary school and a new high school will begin in January 2026, according to local news. Funding will come from a $27.9-million bond passed in May 2025.

  • Embry-Riddle Breaks Ground on New Office Building

    Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in Daytona Beach, Fla., recently announced that construction has begun on a new office building for its campus Research Park, according to a news release. The university partnered with Hoar Construction on the 34,740-square-foot Center for Aerospace Technology II (CAT II), which will be used for research and lab purposes.

Digital Edition